The invention relates to a device for a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) communication system offering a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), for determining the base station subsystems involved in a paging on a routing area level. Moreover, the invention relates to a method for setting up and/or updating the device.
In order to reach a mobile terminal, which is attached to a GPRS and which is ready to operate, the so-called stand-by mode, a paging is performed. A paging can be performed for packet-switched and circuit-switched connection requests. A paging for a packet-switched connection request is performed by a GPRS service node (Supporting GPRS Service Node) on a routing area level. With regard to a circuit-switched connection request, a paging is performed in response to the network operation mode. If a GSM communication system offering a GPRS is operated in the network operation mode I, said pagingxe2x80x94for a circuit-switched connectionxe2x80x94is requested by a mobile services switching center and is executed by a GPRS service node. The paging is executed on a routing area level and can cover one or several routing areas. For the purpose of the execution, the GPRS service node informs each base station subsystem involved in a paging by sending a message to the network service entity thereof. The base station subsystem or the base station subsystems thereupon transmit a paging request in the corresponding routing areas. If the searched for terminal is reached, it responds to the a base station subsystem with a paging response. The base station subsystem informs the GPRS service node by means of a paging response.
(Stage 2, ETSI Standard GSM 03.60 Version 6.2.0, Release 1997; July 1998)
It is prior art that the information as to which base station subsystems are involved in a paging can be obtained from an allocation of routing areas identities to network service entity identifiers.
(ETSI Standard 8.16 TS 101 299 V6.1.0, Annex C, Release 1998; July 1998)
It cannot be inferred from the prior art as to how means which determine and evaluate such an allocation can be set up. One possibility to set up such an allocation is the manual input, which is costly and subject to errors. It can neither be inferred from the prior art as to whether and how such means can be used beyond the determination of the base station subsystems involved in a paging.
In accordance therewith it is object of the invention to develop a device and a method for the automatic set-up and/or update of such means. It is, moreover, an object of the invention to develop a method using said means beyond the determination of the base station subsystems involved in a paging.
According to the invention said object is provided by the teaching of patent claim 1, the teaching of patent claim 5 and the teaching of patent claim 14.
It has thereby shown to be advantageous that the method allows for the automated set-up of a device, which informs a GPRS service node about network service entity identifiers of base station subsystems involved in a paging on a routing area level. In contrast to a device which has to be set up and updated manually, working time is thereby saved and errors are avoided.
Furthermore, it proves to be an advantage that the means for allocating a routing area identity to network service entity identifiers are updated immediately after each modification of virtual connections, whereby a valid allocation is available in the device at any time.
It is equally an advantage that said device is set up with only small signaling efforts and that only small transmission capacities are bound thereby remaining available for telecommunication purposes.
It is, moreover, advantageous that the device for obtaining a routing area identity can be realized in a simple manner with means for converting data.
It is equally advantageous that the device for obtaining a cell global identifier can be realized in a simple manner with means for converting data.
Further advantageous embodiments can be inferred from claims 2 to 13 and 15 to 25.
According to claim 7 and claim 18 it is an advantage that the identification of a base station subsystem is implemented by means of a network service entity identifier, as a GPRS service node uses said network service entity identifier for addressing the base station subsystems thereby avoiding additional conversions.
It is also advantageous according to claim 8 and claim 19 to implement the identification of a routing area by means of a routing area identity, as said routing area identity can be determined with little effort.
According to claims 9 to 11 and 20 to 22 it is also an advantage to make a difference between individual virtual connections thereby facilitating a possible check of stored data.
Another advantage according to claim 3 and claim 23 is also the feasibility of multiple entries. Said multiple entries allow for a set-up and/or update of the allocating means in very few steps.
Additional advantages result according to claim 4 and claim 24 in the additional storage of a counter value, which reduces the number of elements in the allocating means.
According to claim 13 and claim 26 the use of the information stored in the allocating means is particularly advantageous for determining as to which routing areas are supplied by a GPRS service node thereby avoiding the set-up, storage and administration of redundant information, which otherwise only use up working time, memory space and computer power.